Means And Methods for Growing Plants in High Salinity Or Brackish Water

Abstract

A method of growing plants in high salinity is hereby presented. The method comprises steps of obtaining a pressurised cultivation system (PCS) having a pressure vessel for growing at least one plant on a media or substrate, the pressure vessel housing at least the roots of said at least one plant, a source of saline water and a high pneumatic pressure production unit operatively connected to said pressure vessel for providing higher than ambient pressure to said pressure vessel, thereby maintaining said roots of said at least one plant under high pressure during growth, planting a plant in the pressure vessel such that at least a portion of said roots are hermetically sealed within said pressure vessel, providing saline or brackish water to said media and pressurising said vessel. Systems and devices for the above are described.

1 - 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A pressurised cultivation system (PCS) for growing plants in high salinity having
 a. a vessel for growing at least one plant on a media, said vessel housing at least the roots of said at least one plant, and   b. a source of saline water;   
       wherein said vessel has a sealable upper portion in which the plant is rooted; said PCS further comprises a high pressure production unit operatively connected to said vessel for providing higher than ambient saline water pressure to said vessel, thereby maintaining said roots under high saline water pressure during growth thereof. 
     
     
         56 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein said pressure vessel has an opening hermetically sealable around a part of said plant such that the lower portion of said plant is in said vessel whilst the upper portion of said plant is in the ambient environment. 
     
     
         57 . The PCS according to  claim 55  provided with at least one component selected from the group consisting of a pressure release valve, a pressure sensor; a water salinity sensor; a water flow valve at the inflow to said vessel; a water flow valve at the outflow of said pressure vessel and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         58 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein said system is adapted for growing plants by any method from the group consisting of soiless culture, Aeroponics, Aquaponics, Aquascaping, Hydroponics, Passive hydroponics and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein said system is adapted for growing plants by any method selected from the group consisting of Aquatic gardening, •Bottle gardening, Bubbleponics, Deep water culture, Ebb and flow methods, Fogponics Microponics, Nutrient film techniques, Organic hydroponics, •Sub-irrigated planter methods and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         60 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein said pressure vessel is provided with at least one media or substrate selected from the group consisting of soil, growstones, charcoal, Coco peat, peat moss, Coco fibers Diatomaceous earth, Gravel, Perlite, Pumice, Rockwool, Sand •Vermiculite, Parboiled rice hulls, dolomites, basalt, expanded clay, aggregate, chalk, limestone, artificial polymer substrates, organic matter, mineral medium, organic medium and inert medium and any combination between them and any proportion thereof. 
     
     
         61 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein said system is provided with at least one accessory selected from the group consisting of Drip irrigation components Growlight, Hydroponic dosers, Irrigation sprinklers, Leaf sensors, Net-pots, Spray nozzles, Timers, Ultrasonic foggers and Water chillers. 
     
     
         62 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein said vessel is provided with an inflatable balloon at said hermetically sealable end; said inflatable balloon has an opening for enclosing said roots. 
     
     
         63 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein said vessel comprises an inflatable sleeve having openings at at least two hermetically sealable ends for enclosing around said roots such that at least a portion of said roots protrudes from beyond at least one said sleeve opening. 
     
     
         64 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein at least one of the following is true:
 a. said vessel is adapted to be fitted to positively or negatively gravitropic aerial roots;   b. said vessel is adapted to be retrofitted to a crop, plant, shrub, bush, sapling or tree which is growing in a field;   c. said vessel is adapted to be fitted to a root of a scion or rootstock of a grafted plant;   d. said PCS is adapted to enable salt water to recirculated and fresh nutrients added as required or according to a specific protocol;   e. said salt water is provided under high pressure;   f. several vessels are networked in an integrated system controlled by a central controller;   g. more than one fields or greenhouses or growing establishments are networked in an integrated system controlled by a central controller;   h. said system further comprises a central controller and a central server adapted to receive plant physiology, plant growth, plant health or other relevant agrotechnical or agricultural data from at least some plants fitted with said pressure vessels;   i. said system is further provided with a processor for processing said plant physiology, plant growth, plant health or other relevant agrotechnical or agricultural data; and   j. said system is provided with a computer readable medium for providing instructions to the controller to adjust the pressure in said vessels in a predetermined manner.   
     
     
         65 . The PCS according to  claim 55 , wherein said system is adapted for growing plants under high saline conditions wherein said plants are selected from the group consisting of almond, broadbean, barley, beet, apple, cabbage, brocolli, Bermuda grass, apricot, capsicum, Bromegrass, cotton, rubber plants, tobacco plants, avocado, clover, tallfescue, date, bean, cucumber, olive, sugarbeet, carrot, grape, ryegrass, citrus, eggplant, lettuce, safflower, onion, lucerne, sorghum, wheat, maize, peach, plum, peanut, strawberry, pepper, potato, spinach, sugarcane, and tomato.